bairdy1985's reviews
605 reviews

 

Is this really book 7 in the series already?? So much has happened to Icel yet it feels like only yesterday we met the young boy, supported by his Uncle, trying to find his place in life!

What’s in store next? Well the deadly conspiracy against the children of Ealdorman Coenwulf was uncovered with the help of Icel and now it’s time for those involved to pay the price.. this includes the Queen!!

Mercia has been forced to not only fight enemies from far afield.. but also those close to home and this is a major concern for all those involved.. King Wiglal.. and Mercia want justice..

The Wessex King and his men won’t let this lie though and Mercia is hit with even more betrayal and death as the tale unfolds.

I don’t want to spoil the plot for anyone but let’s just say the case against the Queen isnt as open and shut as the King would like and she still holds some power…and she’s not as helpless as it may seem.

I really found it fascinating to learn of a person’s worth during such instances, and that being in a position of power almost certainly made you trustworthy.. and the words of the common man/woman almost useless unless someone of power would speak of their worth. It really added the depth to that particular section of the story and added an extra umph when we are so used to excitement of battles and blood being the main focus.

Oh and don’t worry the battles are to come as things come to fruition and Wessex make their move.

Character depth and development was spot on as usual. Being on book 7 it’s credit to the author that they manage to keep adding naturally flowing detail into such a pivotal plot. I really love the little tit bits of the past thrown in too, memories on Icel’s uncle, the burning of Icel’s hand for example. These were great little ways for a new reader to be brought into the tale but also exciting for those devoted to the series as we have the chance to reminisce.

MJ Porter has a talent for historical fiction and this ever clearer when you see the shear amount of characters involved in the tale, which must have taken meticulous planning to not mix up names at pivotal points. I love Porter’s style too, I’ll be the first to admit names can be hard to retain in novels such as this are they aren’t names used in todays world.. but Porter manages to introduce what feels like natural pause points when the reader can reflect, and really absorb what is being told.

I’ve never really liked King Wiglaf but in this instalment It really showed him in a different light… the question is will he figure out who Icel really is and his family links? The King is kind to him now but if he see’s him as a threat to the throne will he be so kind?

How long can Icel hide the truth…

Without spoiling things I can honestly say this instalment is the best yet, flow is effortlessly perfect and the plot excruciatingly riveting.. I’m just glad I have the commute to work to enjoy the tale as I didn’t want to put this one down! 

 

I attended a boo k talk last year and The Commuter was suggested as a book to pick up and an author to watch, so I immediately put it on my TBR.

Rachel awakes from a coma to find out her husband is dead.. but she has no memory of the events that led up to that faithful day. She’s lucky to be alive but this is just the start of a spiral of events for Rachel as she unravels to truth!

We quickly learn that some instinctively don’t trust Rachel.. although she couldn’t have been there at the time her husband died… there’s gaps in her story that even Rachel can’t fill..

Things go from bad to worse when her husbands will is read and it’s not what everyone is expecting… if anything it raises more questions and causes more tension.

We start to learn more about Rachel and the what happened in the run up as bits of memories come back.. like a puzzle for Rachel to put together.

The quickly see her husband wasn’t exactly an innocent…his daughter is not very likeable and there was someone else in Rachel’s life.. but who.. and what does it mean.. is there a connection?

What unfolds is a very clever and complex plot that ultimately led to an untimely death.

I really enjoyed the flow as the story moves from current day, back to the past as Rachel’s memory returns.

The flow allowed for development of the characters at a natural pace, nothing felt forced or out of place.. the development just matches the flow perfectly in pace and made it a super engrossing read,

Character wise.. and the twists.. wow.. I don’t say it often but I really didn’t know what would happen next and I was hooked. I don’t want to spoil it but Rachel is really put through it!

When to bed each night I was excited for my own commute the next day just so I could pick up the book again!

What made this book such a gripping thriller was the main characters amnesia, as it allowed the author to take the story so many directions… and those twists were gob smacking!

This was more first foray into the authors work but it won’t be my last!. 

 

After previously dabbling into the authors world and style of storytelling I was looking forward to reading this one.

Paris has fallen to the Third Reich and Farmer John Cook is on the lookout for spies.

Tension is high and one night a parachute is seen in the sky.. Cook sets out to find out who or what was dropped but things are a little muddled in the dark and who or whatever it was remains a mystery.

Cook tries to get on with his day to day life while keeping an eye out.. and two things quickly become apparent… at times strange voices can be heard.. are they German? And if so where are they?

The second thing is.. could there be trouble closer to home..there’s a lot of drama but is anything connected? Cook is a man of principle and he won’t stand by when someone needs help.. but can he keep everyone safe?

There’s a complex web of events that link wonderfully but at the same time mean the reader is thrown off the scent right until the moment the author wants you to know more. It’s a engaging puzzle waiting to be solved.

Plot and characters both developed at an easy to read pace.. there’s lots of meat on the bone with this one, plenty to get to grips with but it’s clever and gripping in it’s nature. The plot and characters support each other in the development so nothing felt out of place or rushed.

The only word I can think of to sum up the story is EXCITING. From first page to last it’s fun and intriguing, an exciting bunch of characters and you never really know what will happen next. 5/5 stars! 

 

Selina is alone, hunted and looking for safety but what she finds is much darker and will change her life forever. Selina stumbles upon a dark creature which transforms her into something new.. something stronger.. something thirsty for blood.

When Selina returns to the world she needs to find a way to survive and quickly decides it’s time to gather a family. Selina sets out to create her family of misfits, each chosen for s specific reason.

The family explore the world together, feed and thrive.. until it starts to unravel…

Now the hunter becomes the hunted as the family flee to safety… but is anywhere safe?

Those hot on their heels won’t be deterred even though the endeavour will be costly for both sides.

Vengeance soon becomes Selina’s only goal, but can she finish this once and for all before it’s too late for her.

Oh wow, what a super and thrilling read A Light of Little Radiance was!  The story is brought to life seamlessly by two authors. I had wondered how well would it work, would it flow ok… well let me tell you the flow was immensely prefect. Its very much a plot driven tale but the authors did a wonderful job of making the characters come to life amongst the chaos of Selina’s life.

Its dark, and felt guttural in tone which suited the plot perfectly, the darkness of the setting mirroring the darkness within the characters as they struggle to survive. It’s strange but even though Selina and her family are the ones killing you actually want them to survive.. Selina’s beat the odds before but can she do it again?

Oh the last few chapters.. wow.. I had no idea how I wanted the book to end but I really don’t think there could have been a darker, more thrilling ending..its enough to make you tingle with excitement.

Outstanding story perfectly executed. The story felt fresh and thrilling.. and I loved every second! 

 

Wolf, a young child, abandoned to the wild is raised by wolves. One day a higher power comes to take Wolf away… it’s time to prepare him for what’s to come.

Time passes very differently in the netherworld and when Wolf is returned to the world of man he really has no memory of his past as such.. but his connection with the wolves remains strong.

As the years pass Wolf has trained to be a ranger, an elite team able to carry out any task and leave without a trace.

When a job offer is thrown Wolf’s way he has no choice but to accept but little does he know the whirlwind adventure this will start.

Tasked with kidnapping a girl Wolf is torn.. things aren’t adding up.. the truth is being hidden from him but why and what is the ultimate end?

Wolf’s Quest is a fast paced epic fantasy novel without the word count.. it’s perfect for young readers or those not familiar with the genre.

So development wise.. the plot.. oh my this is one amazing world the author has created. I loved the setting of Ireland, the Vikings and the complex plot and even more so the netherworld. Being so fast paced there’s not questions per se, but areas I’d be interested to see the author visit again, it’s a vast world with so many options and the ending left me in no doubt more will follow which I’m very happy about.

Development of characters can be difficult in such a fast-following tale, but the author did a fantastic job of bringing them to life, infusing individuality along the way and giving meaning to their involvement. I think the author has neatly allowed himself space for development in future works.. While Wolf is the most developed there’s still room for growth and to explore his past and motivations more.. and that’s why I’m giving a 5* and not a 4* star.. I think the decision to focus more heavily on plot than characters was the right choice but it leaves a reader like me excited to see where the author will take me next. 

 

If you’re a fan of the author or follow my blog this book might sound familiar.. that’s because it is. The author has been snapped up by Boldwood Books.. which in my opinion is a match made in heaven!

Alaric is a mercenary for hire and he’s damn good at what he does… he turns the tide in favour of whoever pays the most and there’s not many he wouldn’t stab in the back for the right price.

We find Alaric and his band of 500 battle hardened men, the Ravensworn, in search of their next commission.. the only problem is something doesn’t smell right.

Alaric soon learns a powerful enemy wants him dead.. but why now.. he’s been in game a long time.. it just doesn’t make sense to him. I loved this part of the plot, the pace of the development was spot on revealing just enough to keep you hooked but never enough to give the game away too soon.

One really interesting thing about the book is the backstory of Alaric.. we learn of how he became to be the man he is.. and as much as I didn’t want to I found myself liking the character more and more even though he’s a bringer of death and destruction.

I really enjoyed the development throughout the tale as Alaric fights his way to the truth behind the plot to have him killed.. not only that but the characters themselves were captivating and when the action hit the story was utterly invigorating.. I was on the edge of my seat..especially during the last battle!

There’re so many good characters to pick from but for me Ketill and Birgir shine through simply through, not only as interesting characters but also because of the connections they have to Alaric.

I was fully immersed in the vivid battle scenes which had the adrenaline pumping overtime! This is what i wanted.. dark and dirty..life and death.. when push comes to shove niceties go out the window. 

I attended a book talk last year and The Commuter was suggested as a book to pick up and an author to watch, so I immediately put it on my TBR.

Rachel awakes from a coma to find out her husband is dead.. but she has no memory of the events that led up to that faithful day. She’s lucky to be alive but this is just the start of a spiral of events for Rachel as she unravels to truth!

We quickly learn that some instinctively don’t trust Rachel.. although she couldn’t have been there at the time her husband died… there’s gaps in her story that even Rachel can’t fill..

Things go from bad to worse when her husbands will is read and it’s not what everyone is expecting… if anything it raises more questions and causes more tension.

We start to learn more about Rachel and the what happened in the run up as bits of memories come back.. like a puzzle for Rachel to put together.

The quickly see her husband wasn’t exactly an innocent…his daughter is not very likeable and there was someone else in Rachel’s life.. but who.. and what does it mean.. is there a connection?

What unfolds is a very clever and complex plot that ultimately led to an untimely death.

I really enjoyed the flow as the story moves from current day, back to the past as Rachel’s memory returns.

The flow allowed for development of the characters at a natural pace, nothing felt forced or out of place.. the development just matches the flow perfectly in pace and made it a super engrossing read,

Character wise.. and the twists.. wow.. I don’t say it often but I really didn’t know what would happen next and I was hooked. I don’t want to spoil it but Rachel is really put through it!

When to bed each night I was excited for my own commute the next day just so I could pick up the book again!

What made this book such a gripping thriller was the main characters amnesia, as it allowed the author to take the story so many directions… and those twists were gob smacking!

This was more first foray into the authors work but it won’t be my last!.